Protective strips for foundation garments



May 3, 1955 G. G. wANlsH 2,707,279

PROTECTIVE STRIPS FCR FOUNDATION GARMENTS Filed Janv 21, 1953 2Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR. GEORGE Q WAN15H IN VEN TOR.

WANISH May 3, 1955 G. G. wANlsH PROTECTIVE STRIPS F OR FOUNDATIONGARMENTS med Jan. 21, 195s 2 sheets-sheet 2 'GEGRGE G- United StatesPatent O PROTECTIVE STRIPS FOR FOUNDATION GARMENTS George G. Wanislx,Cortland, N. Y.

Application January 21, 1953, Serial No. 332,469

2 Claims. (Cl. 2--36) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in girdles and other foundation garments.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of animproved protective shield or strip for disposal beneath the closuremeans on a girdle or other foundation garment to prevent pinching of thewearers skin as the garment is fastened.

Another object of the present invention proposes forming the protectiveshield or strip of stiiy flexible material to provide a firm backing forease in closing and opening the fastening means on a girdle or otherfoundation garment and yet permit the necessary bending of the garment.

Still further, the present invention proposes constructing theprotective shield or strip with an outer cover of soft flannel or feltmaterial or the like disposed against the skin of the wearer on thegarment to prevent any rubbing or rough seams or tapes adjacent to thefastening means.

As a further object, the present invention proposes arranging theprotective shield or strip elements so that a single stiffener sheetwill be encased in a cover sheet having an adhesive coated inner surfaceand a flannel or felt P coated outer surface.

The present invention further proposes a novel arrangement of aprotective shield or strip having its component parts sewn together andattached by stitches to the edge of a corset or other foundation garmentbearing the clasps and posts for fastening as an integral part of thatedge and disposed beneath the eyes and next to the Wearers skin topermit hook engagement of the eyes without goughing or pinching thewearer.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a girdle, partly fastened, with 1'tarts brokenaway illustrating the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the girdle fasteners completely opened.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front view partly broken away, of the protective shield orstrip shown in the several figures.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating a modification ofthe present invention.

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a furthermodification of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in the first form of theinvention illustrated in Figs. l to 4, inclusive, a foundation garmentin the form of a corset or girdle consists of a body encircling member16 made in two pieces 17 and 18 laced together in the back by laces 19with dependent stocking securing straps 20.

The body encircling member 16 has two free edges 21 and 22 which formthe customary two adjacent edges of the coat style foundation garmentshown.

2,707,279 Patented May 3, 1955 ICC Spaced posts 23 and eyes 24 aresecured to member 16 adjacent the free edge 22 and like spaced clasps 25and hooks 26 are similarly secured to member 16 adjacent the other freeedge 21 to provide closure means and coacting closure elements.

Garment 15 also has elastic portions 27 and 28 and stays 29 with widestays 30 disposed adjacent the free edges 21 and 22. The two pieces 17and 18 of member 16 are similarly constructed and stays 29 are securedby a superposed casing 31 sewn by stitches 32 to the rear or inner sideof each piece (see Fig. 3).

The structure of the garment along each free edge 21 and 22 is generallythe same. As shown in Fig. 3, free edge 22 has front and rear fabricmembers 33 and 34, respectively, each sewn along one side margin topiece 18 of body encircling member 16 with one of the wide stays 30between them. The other side margin of each of the fabric members 33 and34 is secured to a protective shield or strip 35 as by stitches 36.

Protective shield strip 35, in this form of the invention extends thefull length of the free edge 22 of the garment having one of its sideedges secured to free edge 22 in the manner just described and disposedto underlie the closure means when the closure elements on the two freeedges 21 and 22 are engaged and being engaged.

The shield 35 has a stiffener member 37 of stitily flexiblel materialsuch as, for example, drill buchram and a cover 38 of more exiblematerial. Preferably the cover 38 consists of a single sheet of fabricwrapped or folded around the stiifener strip 37 completely encasing itand secured to it by spaced longitudinal or lengthwise stitches 39. Thecover 38 has a soft nap-like outer surface 40 as, for example, offlannel. The cover 38 may, however, be formed of two sheets, onecovering each side of the stiiener strip 37 and sewn to it.

It is apparent that the protective shield forms a rigid enough backingto assist in the fastening and unfastening of the posts 23 and clasps 25and the hooks 26 and eyes 24, as well as providing means to preventpinching of the wearers skin in the fastening and unfastening of theseelements.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 5 is characterized by the provisionof an adhesive backing 41 on the cover sheet 42 of protective shield 35'which is folded over and permanently adhered to stiffener strip 43. Inthis form, no stitches or sewing is necessary.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6, a foundationgarment such as corset or girdle 44 having free edges 45 and 46 withhooks 47 and clasps 48 on free edge 45 and eyes 49 and posts 50 on freeedge 46 is provided with a protective shield or strip 51 which extendsonly partially the length of free edge 46 and is secured to it. In thismanner, the protective strip 51 is limited to the upper portion only ofthe edge 46 of the body encircling member 52 of garment 44 to which itis secured, this being the region Where pinching is most likely to occurin fastening the garment. The garment 44 may have front laces 52 to oneside of the free edges or may be made without this adjustable feature.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A foundation garment comprising a body encircling member having twofree edges, coacting closure elements secured to the member adjacentsaid edges, a narrow, elongated protective shield strip secured to themember beneath one of said edges and extending from said edge 'tounderlie 'the' other edge when the two edges are adjacently disposed foroperation of the closure elements, said shield strip having an innerstiffener member covered by a covering sheet permanently secured to thestiffener member, said st'iiener member being a strip of stifly flexible"fabric material and said covering .sheet being a fabric sheet moreflexible than the ystifener member and `having an outer soft nap-'likesurface and an vadhesive Yinner surface whereby it is secured to thestillening member, suidprotective shield strip being 4limited to theupper portion only of the edge ofthe body encircling member `to ywhichit is secured.

'2. A foundation garment comprising a body encircling member having twofree edges, coactng closure .elements secured to the member adjacentsaid edges, a protective shield strip secured to the member beneath oneof said edges and extending from said ledge to underlie the other "edgewhenthe two edges are adjaceutly disposed for operation 'of the closureelements, said shield strip having .-1 an inner stiffener member coveredby a one piece covering sheet folded over the st'iliening member andhaving an adhesive inner surface whereby it is permanently secured tothe stiffener member, said stiffener member being a strip of stifyexible fabric material and said covering sheet being a fabric sheet moreexible than the stitfener member and having an outer soft nap-likesurface, the body encircling member comprising, at said one edge, frontand rear fabric members enclosing one elongated edge of the shieldstrip, and means securing the fabric -members and -shield strip togetheralong said one edge of each.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 605,299Perrottet June 7, 1898 1,584,753 York et al. May 18, 1926 1,605,323 BeckNov. 2, 1926 2,442,225 Versoy May 25, 1948

